The man o' war isn't a jellyfish. It's a siphonophore, a colony of several small individual organisms. Tentacles can be up to 160 feet long. The feeding tentacles sting and paralyze small fish, crustaceans, and other invertebrates.

"It's a very strong sting," Palmer said. "One analogy we've heard to describe the sting is if fire and electricity had a baby!"

Lifeguards and Tybee Island Public Works have been collecting the man o' war from the beaches in efforts to keep stings to a minimum. If you are stung, Palmer said you should first use something to scrape the surface of the skin to remove barbs. "You won't see them, but they're there," she said.

After that, you should wash the area with salt water. Anyone stung should be monitored and seek emergency care if they begin showing signs of distress.

Palmer has a special warning for beach walkers: don't touch them. Ever.

"They can still sting up to 48 hours after they're beached," she said. "We don't want to fear them, just understand them."